The invention relates to deck winches, and more particularly to an improved winch having provision for removal of the main shaft for maintenance or repair without detachment of the winch base from the deck.
Previously, deck winches have had to be removed in their entirety from a deck in order to pull the main shaft. This was due to the fact that the retaining structure for keeping the shaft in place to prevent upward movement was typically a clip device coacting between a groove in the main shaft, near its bottom, and a portion of the winch base surrounding the main shaft near the lower end. The clip device was accessible only from the underside of the winch base, so that the base itself had to be removed to release the shaft.
This situation was objectionable in that a great deal of time was required to perform any maintenance or replacement functions on the main shaft. One would normally be required to remove the winch drum, then remove a series of bolts circumferentially positioned around the winch base and passing through the vessel deck, then invert the inner winch structure to release the clip to permit the shaft's removal. In some situations, the bolts would be difficult to remove because the bolt heads would be below the deck and would have to be held. Of course, replacement of the winch on the deck following the main shaft's maintenance operation was also time consuming and sometimes difficult.